Baldur's Gate Give me the TLDR, how should one play Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 in 2021?

[biffthestiff]

Tbh I ended up procuring the EE versions from a Linux ISO site. I just didnt want to give a single dollar to EA. It's like Google, I'll use Youtube, but refuse to make account, and will block their ads and trackers.

 

[Arthandas]

I just didnt want to give a single dollar to EA

What's the connection? Last I checked Beamdog was a private company.

 

[prengle]

play the original unpatched version at 640x480 on a pentium 1 pc with a crt for the AUTHORITATIVE™ experience

 

[biffthestiff]

I just didnt want to give a single dollar to EA

What's the connection? Last I checked Beamdog was a private company.

I thought Beamdog was just some contractor EA/Bioware used for the remaster. I just looked it up and it's not clear who owns what, but I think my initial assumption was wrong. EA seems totally unattached to the EE, and even to BG3.

I know BG as a setting is licensed by WotC (the D&D owners), but what about the IP of the original two PC games? Characters like Minsc, Irenicus, etc. Who owns those?

 

[Nano]

I know BG as a setting is licensed by WotC (the D&D owners), but what about the IP of the original two PC games? Characters like Minsc, Irenicus, etc. Who owns those?

Evidently WotC, as indicated by the presence of the Minsc romance in BG3.

 

[Azdul]

Guys I'm not paying for EE when I already own the originals

You're missing out on literally hundreds (thousands?) of fixes and a lot of (optional) features not covered by the super outdated fixpack (and made by the same modders btw).

BG2 Fixpack v13 from 2018 basically contains all the fixes from BG2EE 2.5. I cannot recommend outdated BG1 FixPack - but you basically need Beregost Fix and Arcanum DDraw wrapper if you're replaying BG1 by itself. If you're using Baldur's Gate Trilogy - the Beregost fix is already included, and DDraw wrapper is not needed.

People who still shit on EEs because they don't like the new companions (which can be completely ignored and represent about 0.0001% of the game's content) have corrupted DNA and should be purged from the genepool.

Enhanced editions not only add NPCs - they also change cute early 3D cutscenes into terrible goth / finger-painting abominations. The same goes for horrible UI art style.

There are mods that remove EE additions and bring back classic content - but Beamdog also has annoying custom of breaking mod compatibility with each minor once-every-two-years patch release - so it is really hard to purge Beamdog creations for good.

 

[Udaller]

Make sure to disable the thick character outlines and enable auto-pause on enemy sight would be my non-mod suggestions.
Further I would advice against SCS as I found the peeling of mage barriers boring after the 5th time and it made me cheese encounteres, which I felt was contrary to what
I originally wanted out of the mod.

 

[arcanum]

Howdy, partner! How comes you're going play this old brahmin shit? Go to the New Vegas - the real RPG experience!

 

[Sykar]

Imagine trusting UAC and Windows Defender.

 

[Falksi]

Have played BG2 many times, but haven't touched BG 1 for around 15 years so just going back to it now.

3 hours in and it's steady enough, quite enjoying it, but I can't remember the world feeling that empty before. Is it like that for the rest of the game? I'm just wondering whether to bother with side quests, or push on through the main story as the side-quests so far have all been cookie-cutter, predictable trash.

 

[Cryomancer]

Both are 2E games. That is more than enough reason to try it.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Falksi There is plenty to do in BG1, you just have to explore a little bit. Its not like BG2 where the tight terrain is sculpted around the encounters. Also, keeping in mind that it is low level D&D. Finding things like a Gibberling den, hobgoblin group, or an ettercap in a cave are the encounters, not filler.

 

[deem]

Should I play/read/watch X in 202X is a retarded mindset and I wish it would die.

 

[Nano]

Have played BG2 many times, but haven't touched BG 1 for around 15 years so just going back to it now.

3 hours in and it's steady enough, quite enjoying it, but I can't remember the world feeling that empty before. Is it like that for the rest of the game? I'm just wondering whether to bother with side quests, or push on through the main story as the side-quests so far have all been cookie-cutter, predictable trash.

The game is indeed very empty for the first few chapters. And then when you reach Baldur's Gate in chapter 5 you'll find only fetch quests for the most part. The main story only starts getting interesting in chapter 6.

 

[NJClaw]

I know BG as a setting is licensed by WotC (the D&D owners), but what about the IP of the original two PC games? Characters like Minsc, Irenicus, etc. Who owns those?

Definitely WotC. Minsc is mentioned in two official D&D modules: Murder in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. He also appears alongside Icewind Dale's Oswald Fiddlebender in a recent Forgotten Realms-themed Magic the Gathering product:

However, Beamdog can probably still fiddle with those characters' corpses, since they can still release expansions for BG1 and 2.

 

[FriendlyMerchant]

You should play the games if you want to play them. That's it. Either you'll enjoy it or you won't.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I would skip the first Baldur's Gate, it is a combat heavy game with a bad combat system, very slow leveling for the game duration so you have not interest in character progression, you have an empty and boring open world with uninteresting loot and encounters, the narrative is very simple, do not compare it to Fallout style with branching stories etc.

Oh? I smell delicious grinding.

But I always find crumbs of grinding in everything. (Shrug)

 

[sebas]

BGEE modded with:
- BG1 NPC Project
- LeUI
- Tweaks Anthology
- SCS

For BG2EE I would only do LeUI, Tweaks and SCS. And then add Ascension on a re-play.

 

[Fedora Master]

Whatever you do, do not give Beamdog money.

 

[Serus]

You should play the games if you want to play them. That's it. Either you'll enjoy it or you won't.

That's DEEP(tm).

My take: Play better games. Especially easy to find are the ones better than BG1.

 

[BING XI LAO]

How much new modding is going on? I quite like the idea of playing some horrendously bloated megamod in 2025.

 

[Falksi]

Only 6 hours in so far, but quite enjoying it. Biggest issue I have with it is definitely the emptiness of the rural areas. As nice as they are to look at it does get a bit boring exploring them, and I definitely find it best just to stick to following objectives.

But it's actually really refreshing to be playing some low-level D&D, where I'm managing more grounded stuff like standard weapons.

 

[FriendlyMerchant]

Only 6 hours in so far, but quite enjoying it. Biggest issue I have with it is definitely the emptiness of the rural areas. As nice as they are to look at it does get a bit boring exploring them, and I definitely find it best just to stick to following objectives.

But it's actually really refreshing to be playing some low-level D&D, where I'm managing more grounded stuff like standard weapons.

Fog sweeping is the point of the game. It's why you can't get clairvoyance until chapter 5.

 

[Mexi]

All you really need is to install the game with EE and enjoy. Played it several times with just base EE. Don't listen to these contrarian, autistic phaggots with their 10+ mod lists. The new companions suck, and they are half-assed implemented in BG2. I only recruit them for the unique loot in BG 1. I don't even give them a second look in BG2.

 

[Arvennios]

Is the trilogy mod still relevant ?